Amy's Antics

Wrapping up 2011

2011-12-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

Life never slows down, NEVER. Telling myself this fact helps me not get too stressed when life is crazy. If I stop waiting for it to slow down and just accept the fact that life is busy and have the attitude of "do what I can and keep moving" life won't overwhelm me so much. Does anyone else feel this way?

It's almost Christmas and I have let a whole semester go by without posting anything. Again. Oh well, keep moving.

Brad is still working on his recovery from our accident a year ago. He had shoulder surgery 2 months ago and they repaired a tear in his rotator cuff and cleaned up some arthritis. For a while insurance denied physical therapy for Brad on his knee, but now we have all of that sorted out and he is doing PT for his knee and shoulder. We are hoping that his knee just needs to be strengthened and no more surgery is needed. He's not 100% and I think we know he won't ever be at 100%, but there is still room for improvement.

My foot and ankle are doing well. If I walk a lot or stand on my feet I start having minor aches and pains, but for the most part I have full function of them. Besides being busy with normal life, I am really enjoying going to Community Bible Study. This semester we have been studying Hebrews and have really enjoyed it. There is so much in the book and it's been a lot of rich, solid theology. It's been great to look at it verse by verse and to be reminded of how completely sufficient Christ is to be my Savior...and other's Savior. He is the only One capable. If we trust in this world, it will fail us. If we trust in ourselves, we will fail. If we trust in other people, they will fail us. If we trust in our things, they will fail us. It has given me an urgency to pray for my family and friends who do not know Him...that they may see the TRUTH of who He is and put their lives completely in His hands.

During this one-year anniversary of our accident and starting the recovery journey, we look back with Thankfulness to be here, alive. Also, we are reminded of all of the support and encouragement we received a year ago from our families, friends, church family and co-workers. We were so overwhelmed by people's responses and generosity of time and resources. It helped us experience the love of God for us more fully through the hands and feet of people. We are hoping to bring this type of encouragement and God's love to a family we know during this Christmas season that has recently been through a work related accident themselves. And now we know even more how to bless them because of all of those who blessed us so much during our time of need. THANK YOU to everyone who helped us throughout this last year in all sorts of ways...praying for us (many daily!), watching kids, bringing food, organizing helpers, doing yard work, cleaning our home, giving gift cards, giving money, mailing care packages, bringing belongings to us from home, calling, visiting us, sending cards, etc., etc.!!!!

As far as the kids go, Will has enjoyed his first year of school so far. He usually rides his bike to school and thinks he is pretty hot stuff being one of the only kindergartners doing this. He played t-ball this fall and loved it. Now he's about to start Upward Basketball. Will turned 6 in November and had a Star Wars Lego party. When he's not playing sports, playing legos or riding his bike, he's usually pestering Carissa.

First Day of School

T-ball

Birthday Party!

Carissa is our snuggle buddy and twinkle toes. She likes to cuddle and hug and kiss us and we LOVE IT! She is a sweetheart most of the time with some diva moments. She enjoys watching Barbie movies, singing like Ariel at the top of her lungs and dancing around. It took her a couple of months to warm up to school this year, but I think she finally likes going. She can be very shy and quiet around others, but I see that starting to change too. One of her favorite things is to have her friend Megan or Ryan come over to play.

First Day of School

Circus Parade at School

Halloween

Carissa and her friend Ryan

The kiddos in San Antonio

And now it's Christmas time! I can't believe how the time is flying by. We hope you have a truly special Christmas season with your family, celebrating baby Jesus who came so that we can have life. It was His plan from the beginning of time...and it's a trustworthy plan!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Catching Up

2011-08-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

I want to be a regular blogger, I really do. Maybe I will get better once school starts and we get into a routine. I can hope.

I'll try to get you caught up on what has been going on since April. As far as our accident recovery, things have moved along slowly. Brad continued with Physical Therapy but eventually seemed to plateau and not make progress. He could walk, but it was slow and he could not use stairs very well. After an MRI and CT scan on his knee, the doctor decided to do an arthroscopic knee surgery. Brad did that about two weeks ago. They shaved down a bone spur that had formed in the middle of the knee, trimmed some cartilage and repaired a small tear in his meniscus. Now Brad is back to more PT and hoping to see some improvement soon. It's still a little early to tell and he really has to build up his strength in the muscles around his knee which will take some time.

We are still trying to settle with the auto insurance companies and they are very good at stalling and making things way more difficult than they need to be. We are working with an attorney to help resolve everything and we have peace that it will all work out.

In May Will graduated from Pre-K. He went to his preschool for 4 years and he made lots of good buddies there.

Will played t-ball for the first time in the Spring.

and of course, Carissa was there for it all.

This summer we mostly tried to keep cool. We made our way to different water parks across the state and went to the INDOOR Legoland.

We have one more week of summer until Will starts Kindergarten. I don't know if I should ask for prayers for him or for me. I don't know who is more nervous :o).

He can handle this

2011-04-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

As you can tell, life picked back up again after our return and it is much harder for me to find the time to blog. We saw some friends in the last couple of weeks and they were shocked to see Brad walking, so I realized I haven't done a great job keeping everyone posted on our recovery status.

Brad is walking. Slowly. It's so nice to not deal with walkers, crutches and wheelchairs anymore. Brad's legs are pretty weak, but he is able to get around. He can't do stairs very well. He's not suppose to walk really long distances or walk around the neighborhood for exercise. His therapist has recently said that she thinks his strength has plateaued and that he needs to have the doctor look into the reason for this. Her thoughts are possible soft tissue damage that is preventing him from progressing. Brad will go see the doctor and will have him look into it.

I went to see another doctor to get a second opinion on my foot and ankle. After looking at the X-rays he thought that I didn't need surgery right now. His suggestion was to get an MRI to look for possible soft tissue damage. I left glad to not have surgery, but at the same time a little anxious that my foot and ankle will never feel normal again. It's so hard to accept this since the accident wasn't our fault. I want to cry "FOUL" and make the responsible party fix it. I still don't have full function of my foot and ankle. That may never happen and it makes me sad. I know Brad's feeling the same way about the possibility of never being able to run again...something he enjoyed doing quite a bit before the accident.

Continuing to pursue expensive medical treatment is feeling more and more stressful as we see the reality of dealing with insurance companies. The other guy's insurance is dragging their feet and hasn't paid a dime, ours doesn't want to settle until the other guy's insurance settles and we often get reminder letters from our medical insurance, short term disability insurance and medical providers that they want to be reimbursed or paid. (If you only have minimal auto insurance coverage for liability and uninsured/under insured motorist I highly encourage and recommend increasing your policy limits!!)

You can say a prayer that all of the insurance companies settle quickly and fairly and that our medical insurance will negotiate with us and settle within the policy limits of the auto insurances. And you can pray that we can do all of this without having to hire an attorney. We are just ready for closure and we know God can bring it. In the big picture of life, this is a small trial. But even so, we would love to see God work it out in a miraculous way so He gets the credit. As I look at paperwork and talk to adjusters I try to work it all out in my mind. I can think it is all up to Brad and me to figure it out. We will be diligent to do our part, but we are praying for God to intervene and work it out in only a way He can. This morning I met with our insurance adjuster and I was feeling anxious before hand, so I decided to read some Psalms and I came across Psalm 57:2 which says: " I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me." I know He can handle this.

On another note, we had a great Easter at Brad's brother's house. Our kiddos love their cousins and we love being with them. During the week leading up to Easter I was able to focus on what Christ did for me (Romans 5:8-9 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!) It definitely puts any suffering here on earth in perspective and also reminds me that there is a bigger picture beyond having good function of my foot or beyond losing money because of an accident that wasn't our fault. None of that will matter when we get to spend eternity with Christ in the place He is preparing for us. He has a plan and it's way better than mine.

Spring Break Fun

2011-03-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

My sister already blogged about our spring break, so you can go to her blog read all about it:

Spring Break Fun

Our big 3 year-old!

2011-03-08T10:31:00.000-08:00

Carissa turned 3 at the end of February. We had a fun time celebrating at her party two weekends ago. This last weekend she got her "big girl" bed and we are selling her baby furniture, so she is officially a "big girl" now.

And just so everyone knows, things are much better from the last time I posted. They were better the next day. I should know to never write posts in my moment of tiredness and pity-party mode. Of course we all have those moments, but for the most part things are going great. Brad has the ok to put weight on his leg and he should be walking in the upcoming weeks. He's working on that at PT. We've even been to the gym twice this week as a family and he swam both times! What a good feeling. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Here are some pics from Carissa's party:

Happy Birthday, Big Girl! We love you!

Ups and downs

2011-02-23T20:20:00.000-08:00

I'm worn out. This post may sound a bit whiny because I am worn out. I should probably just go to bed and write in the morning when I'm better rested. Sounds easy, but nope, I will have a little visitor come in around 5:30 or 6 am to wake me up from my congested sleep and move over to make room for him. Then I will sleep on my side in the middle of the bed and wake up with a funky crick in my neck that I will try to work out all day long. See. Whiny. Sorry.

I went to the doctor on Monday and she took new xrays and said she thought it was healing, and then as I asked questions she explained everything that was wrong with how my fracture in my foot was healing. Confusing. She prescribed more physical therapy and suggested wearing a support shoe insert and tennis shoes. I am suppose to go see her again in a month. I asked if I continued to have pain and discomfort, at what point does she consider surgery. She said in the next 1-2 months. The therapy and inserts may be exactly what I need, and I am going to do them. However, I am going to go see another doctor that came highly recommended for a second opinion. That appointment is set for March 29th.

I was a little disappointed at the appointment. I think I just wanted to know a more definitive answer instead of "do more of the same."

Brad has had 2 appointments with an orthopedic surgeon, but they have had to be rescheduled for different reasons. He is a teaching doctor and only has office appointments on Tuesdays, so it's tricky trying to reschedule. He is suppose to go in on March 1st. Hopefully he can get the go ahead on putting weight on his left leg so he can start learning how to walk again. He is still going to PT 3 times a week, but I know he's ready to move on the walking!

Brad has been working from home since the beginning of the month. I like having him here, and for now it works well for him to work from here.

Will is wild. He is very active. We've been working on potty issues at home since we've gotten back as well as following instructions and not talking back. He wants to negotiate EVERYTHING and always has to have the last word. Pray for us as parents, that we would have the wisdom to know how to love him well and discipline him the best way. We want to teach him how to be thoughtful of others, honoring to his family members and the ability to use some self control when he needs to (among many other things!!)

Carissa has been sick. She went to the doc on Monday and we got prescriptions for flu, ear infection and pick eye. Bless her heart. Through it all she has remained pretty happy and agreeable even saying "I not sick" when she was at her very worst. Her birthday is coming this weekend and it looks like she will be all better for that!

I have more to say...I didn't even get into any good whining, but it's getting late. I'm going to post what I've got and go to sleep!

The journey home

2011-01-21T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I was finally able to walk around with normal shoes on starting last Sunday, so I was ready to start thinking about heading home. I was ready for the kids to get back into school and for our lives to look a bit more normal. We decided to set our homecoming for the following Wednesday, the 19th. We had both of our cars, so Brad would drive one and I would drive the other. We did good on the way home. Brad said he didn't feel nervous or anxious about driving, but he said he was definitely aware of everything around him and of our speed, especially when we were driving 65-70 mph, realizing that was how fast we were going when we collided with the other car. We are both much more cautious on the road and in no big hurry. We are just fine with going the speed limit and keeping our distance from other vehicles.

Some friends and neighbors were here to help us unpack all of our stuff. We were gone for exactly 8 weeks and we had all of our Christmas loot, some of Will's birthday presents plus some of our new medical equipment. Our house looked clean...way cleaner than it was when we left, thanks to our great friends and neighbors. Our fridge and pantry were stocked and a friend brought us dinner that night. We definitely felt loved.

I realized that first night just how much my parents (especially Terri, my step-mom) had been doing. After dinner, some unpacking, and bedtimes my foot and ankle were aching and I was ready to crash. The next day I had to pull my walking boot back out. All of the new activity has definitely irritated my injury. I am not feeling as concerned about all the help we are getting from our friends now that I see that we do really need the help.

The kids went to school on Thursday and jumped right back in. They were both so glad to be back and all of their friends welcomed them with lots of hugs and excitement.

Brad went to Physical Therapy on Thursday as well and jumped right back into his recovery effort. He's moving along and he's having to adjust to our home and the new surroundings. Some of our doorways are smaller and our shower is much smaller here. He's doing good figuring out how to make everything work for him. His energy levels are low, so even though he feels exhausted at times, he's trying not to let that get him down.

I went to the orthopedic doctor here today. She took a look at my xrays and she told me she would have done surgery on my foot fracture. She said normally she doesn't do surgery, she usually only does surgery in about 1 of every 100 foot fractures she sees, and she thought mine should have been fixed surgically. She said she'll recheck it in 4 weeks and we will keep an eye on it. If it gives me problems, she may recommend going in and re-breaking the fracture and setting it surgically. Not great news, but if it needs to be done I want it done sooner rather than later. She prescribed 4 weeks of physical therapy and gave me an ankle brace that I can wear with a normal shoe.

We are glad to be home and so thankful for all the help our friends have given and are giving to us. We are so BLESSED by them.

A New Ride

2011-01-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went to Dallas to have Brad's follow up appointment with his orthopaedic surgeon. We didn't get any huge news, just that Brad won't be able to put weight on his left leg for a couple more months. He's still going to Physical Therapy and making good progress, though at times it seems slow to us.

I thought my foot would be healing a little faster. It is uncomfortable to walk, but today I didn't really use my crutches or cane just a walking boot. I twisted my ankle funny earlier tonight and I had some pain where my ankle fracture was. Hopefully it's just tender and not making the injury worse. I am SO ready to walk normally! Hopefully I will improve enough over the next week or two to head back home.

So, on our way back from Dallas we stopped to peek at some cars. The poor car salesman was hauling Brad's wheelchair and walker around the lot. We found a car that we liked, so we just went ahead and got it. It is a 2009 Chevy Tahoe.

It's been fun to drive. We were trying to decide between the Tahoe and a minivan. I'm not sure we really engaged our practical and frugal sides on this decision, but we enjoy being a little higher up with more car between us and the other cars on the road.

Cast off

2010-12-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

I got my cast off today! Yea! My foot and leg feel really weird. Kind of numb and they are still really swollen. My doctor put me in a walking boot and I can put weight on it as tolerated. I can't tolerate too much weight on it just yet, but he said it probably wouldn't take me too long before I will be walking on it. Still have to use the crutches for now.

Brad started his outpatient physical therapy yesterday. The first visit was mostly evaluation, but tomorrow he will really start working hard.

The kids are still doing good. They crack us up. Carissa's is so silly and expressive. Will walks around with his new Black and Decker toy work goggles and a Star Wars Trooper like gun he got from his cousin Korbin. Tonight he wanted his Daddy's PT exercise band tied around his head for a Karate Kid headband look. The goggles and headband make his hair stand up all which ways, which is all the more cool for him so he can have "rock star hair." I'll have to get a pictures of his many looks.

Will likes to be a big helper around here, feeding animals, delivering the mail, taking the trash out to the front gate. Yesterday he was "helping" his Granddaddy build a fence in the pasture (with his goggles and toy cordless screwdriver.) He had to go to the potty, and like all good workers in the pasture he would just find a tree. He returned to the work site a little wet. His Granddaddy asked him how he got all wet and he replied."it just started going before I could get my hands on it." These things take time I guess.

Brad has his follow up appointment with his surgeon in Dallas on January 5th. We will be here for sure until then. I want to be walking well before we head home, too. So, our homecoming date is still up in the air.

A Very Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

It was so good to have Brad out of the hospital for Christmas and have our family all together in one place. Brad's family came to my Dad's on December 23rd and spent the night. We celebrated Christmas with them on the 24th. Will was so anxious to open presents. (He definitely thinks it is more blessed to receive than to give. And, he always wants more and more and more. It's hard to not let that totally drive me crazy, but I have to remind myself that he's five and that in my own childish ways I can be like that too, in my heart, even when no one sees. I pray that Will will open his heart to Jesus someday and that he will let Christ fill all of his needs and that he will be content in that provision. I'm praying that I will be content in every and all circumstances and provisions that God gives me!)
We sang Christmas carols together, a Simcik tradition, and opened gifts and ate a terrific lunch that Terri made for us. Some of us played a long game of Mexican Train, a real treat for me. I love games, like cards and dominoes, and I don't get much of that at my house unless it's 52 pickup or building garages for hot wheels using dominoes and cards.

We had fun all day Christmas Eve. We were sad we couldn't make it to my Mom's family's annual Christmas Eve celebration, but hopefully we can visit everyone soon when we can WALK in and visit. We did go to my Dad's church's Christmas Eve service. When we sat down the were singing David Crowder's song "How He Loves Us." At that moment I really did sense God's love. Not only did He come down to earth as a helpless baby to save me from my sin so I could have a relationship with Him, but He had saved our whole family and protected us during the accident. I was just so thankful to be sitting there with all four of us, alive. THAT was my perfect Christmas gift.

That night my sister and her family came and we were all able to be together Christmas morning. "Santa" had left toys out for the kids and then they had lots of fun opening more after that. They have been playing ever sense. Carissa did get a little sick Christmas morning, throwing up, but it didn't last long and she was back to normal in no time.

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas, too!

Homecoming

2010-12-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

On December 23rd my dad and I headed to Dallas to get Brad. He was all packed up and ready to go when we got there. His one request: BBQ. We headed down the street to Sonny Bryants. It was the original location which is a little shack that doesn't cater to wheelchairs. I practically had to beg Brad not to try to go inside and to postpone trying it until a later date. He was ready to use his walker to get in there and I was about ready to have a heart attack. We convinced him to go to Cooper's BBQ in Fort Worth instead. It is large, it is clean, it is wheelchair friendly. The last meal that he had before the accident was Cooper's and the first one out of the hospital was Cooper's.

The kids were waiting back at the house for their Daddy's homecoming. They made him a welcome home sign and everything.

Busy Builders

2010-12-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

Terri, aka Nana, sent pics of the ramp Granddad is building with his big helpers...

Moving along

2010-12-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

Brad is doing really well. He is getting from his bed to his wheelchair all on his own, getting to the shower chair all on his own, and he walked using the parallel bars and a walker today. He cannot put any weight on his left leg, but he is able to put weight on his right leg as he can tolerate it. The doctor came in today and said that Brad's discharge date is now Thursday, December 23rd!! This was great news and will make our family Christmas so much easier. They have started talking about what equipment they will be ordering for Brad to be able to be at home (in Weatherford for now). My dad was working on a ramp today.

The kids came yesterday. It was a good visit, although Will has developed a phobia of elevators. I think he thinks it's going to close on someone and hurt them. He gets real panicky when we are getting on or off and tells everyone to hurry, hurry, hurry. My mom suggested taking him to watch people getting on and off elevators so he could see people doing it without getting hurt. We'll have to do that sometime.

Here is a video and picture of the visit. There is a dancing Santa in the rehab room. My kids are really into shaking their "booties" and this Santa does just that. Carissa was dancing...very entertaining for her and us!

Blown away

2010-12-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

Last night one of Brad's co-workers and her husband came by to deliver gifts from HP coworkers. We are blown away by their kindness and generosity. They brought a Christmas tree filled with gift cards and cash to help with expenses and a gift package full of snacks and treats for the kids. A Brazilian coworker sent some yummy Brazilian coffee. We have been overwhelmed by everyone's support, encouragement and generosity throughout this whole ordeal.

One of our friends from the kid's school sent notes from Will's classmates and a come back soon wish from Carissa's class, plus other gifts and goodies from individuals. We are spoiled! We feel loved. We are very THANKFUL! God has blessed us with so many great friends and has provided beyond and above our expectations. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.

The kids are on their way! Looking forward to seeing them!

A Simcik Saturday

2010-12-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

Not too much to report today. Brad did some therapy, but the weekends are more relaxed and the schedule is not as full. Brad's brother's family came today and his parents came today. Here are some pictures from our visit:

The original Simcik clan

The girls-additions to the Simcik clan

hospital hair cut

Good day

2010-12-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. Brad got a good night's rest, which always helps. Nana and Granddad met Grandma and Papaw and did a grand kid swap. Then Nana and Granddad brought the kids up to see us. This visit seemed to go really well. Now that Brad doesn't have a jungle gym coming out of his leg the kids aren't afraid to get close to him. Will and Carissa had fun playing with the trapeze on Brad's bed and they had fun pushing us around in our wheel chairs. They were very sad to leave and Will kept asking if I was going home with them. I wish we could all just stay in one place all together. We will get to do that soon, Lord willing!

Brad's physical therapy right now mostly consists of him trying to stand using his arms and having a little weight on his right leg. It takes all of his energy to do this. It's almost been 3 weeks since the accident, so it's been a long time since he's used his legs. He lifts weights to strengthen his arms. He wanted to go outside today to get some fresh air, so he wheeled himself downstairs. Good thing he's warm natured since it was chilly out!

Brad's parents also came today, and they are making sure we never run out of homemade goodies and Czech Stop kolaches. They are staying the night in Dallas and will visit some more tomorrow. Brad's brother and brother's family are coming tomorrow as well, so it should be a full house around here.

Therapy

2010-12-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

Brad finished his therapy for the day. Here is a picture and video from his dog therapy. He works much harder in physical and occupational therapy, but the dog therapy is a nice breather after that.

Brad's case worker came by and said that the goal was to discharge Brad on the 24th. I asked if it could be before then if he was doing really well and he said the 24th was already kind of pushing it. Pray that Brad's strength and progress move along just a tad faster than they think. It would be wonderful if he could come home the 22nd or 23rd. Of course, the 24th is better than the 25th or 26th, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

All legs clear

2010-12-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

Brad and I both had our legs declared all clear of blood clots this morning. Good news. I am now at Zale with Brad and we are having a good time looking over Christmas cards and get-well cards. The Lord has certainly given us some amazing family and friends. Thank you for praying for us!!

Feeling better

2010-12-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

I am feeling much better now. My last post sounded pretty dire...thank you for the prayers. My heart and mind are much calmer now. My leg does not hurt when it is up, only when I have to get up, so that is better than it was doing last night. A good sign for sure.

Brad is scheduled for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Wii-therapy. He's suppose to have 2 visitors today and one of those is bringing his computer to him, so he will be online by tonight, which will help him feel more connected to the outside world.

Bummer

2010-12-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

This accident has taught me on many levels that things don't always go as planned. I was hoping to go to see and stay with Brad today. Last night my calf started hurting...the one that's in the cast. It was like someone had goosed me in the middle of my muscle and the pain just would not go away. It persisted through the night and subsided a little this morning, until I got up. Anytime I try to put my leg down it starts throbbing again. With all of the blood clots in my family...Brad's mom, my step-dad and my aunt, my mind immediately starts thinking about that possibility. I called the Dr.'s office this morning. The nurse said she thought I probably just over did it yesterday as I was on my feet for most of the day. I am suppose to rest all day and keep my leg elevated, which means I cannot go to Dallas today. I have an appointment at 8am in the morning if my leg pain does not stop. All of this caused the flood gate of tears to finally open up. I'm sad that Brad is alone in Dallas, I'm scared that my leg pain is a blood clot, I'm bummed I have to sit here all day, I have paper work to sort through, faxes to send, a van to buy, Christmas presents to wrap, kids I haven't seen or hugged in 4 days. I'm feeling overwhelmed right now. Please pray for me.

Next stop

2010-12-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

Brad moved to Zale Lipshy earlier this evening. Starting tomorrow he will start working hard with his PTs and OTs so that he can come home. I am in Weatherford tonight after taking care of several errands today. I am going to wrap Christmas presents while the kids are staying in Granbury at my mom's. I will head up to Dallas tomorrow and stay there with Brad maybe even until he is released.

Prayer requests:
Continued healing
God's provision as we deal with insurance settlements and medical bills
God's leading and provision while looking for a new van
Opportunities to show the love of Christ to those we come in contact with

Moving along

2010-12-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

Brad is doing well. He still has his morphine pump that is helping with his pain. His doctor took most of the bandages off of his leg and said that everything was looking good. He had physical therapy this afternoon and Brad sat on the edge of his bed and he was able to bend his knees for the first time. He said it felt weird. They also tried to get him to stand up with a walker using mostly his arms with a tiny bit of weight on his right leg. He wasn't quite ready for that. Brad is suppose to go to Zale Lipshy this evening or tomorrow and will continue with inpatient rehab. It looks like there is a good chance of him being able to come home (to Weatherford) for Christmas. And, now with him learning to bend his knees getting him home won't be as tricky! Here are his before surgery xray and after surgery xray on his left leg.

Today I had my 2 week checkup and the doctor said everything was looking good. There wasn't any more damage or displacement. He wants me to keep the cast on and stay off of it for 2 more weeks...I was a little bummed. I was kind of hoping I could move into a walking cast or brace. He said that the break in my ankle was his main concern. That although it doesn't look bad, that because of where it is on the tibia next to the ankle joint, any weight on it could cause it to crack further. He said there were little stress lines close to the fracture and that putting weight on my leg could cause those to worsen as well. So, I'm still hopping along on crutches or scooting around in the wheelchair.

Today I got a rental car after my doctor's appointment and I drove myself over to Parkland. Thankfully there was a handicap spot out front. I found a nice man to get my wheelchair out of the trunk and then I rolled my self right up to Brad's room. Other than getting my wheelchair in and out of the car, just taking my stuff with me is tricky. Everything is a new adventure and the little victories, like driving again, seem like such a big deal. It's nice to have a little independence.

I will drive back to Weatherford tonight and hopefully Brad will get moved into Zale so I can stay with him again soon.

Merry Christmas from the Simciks

2010-12-12T20:11:00.001-08:00

Ecard made with Smilebox

The Latest

2010-12-12T11:57:00.000-08:00

I got back to Brad's room around 9am this morning. He was looking pretty pale and puny when I got here. He was feeling pretty nauseous and they had just given him a shot to try to control that. It really seemed to help after about 30 minutes.

One of the trauma surgery nurses came in and was able to show us Brad's x-rays and explain the surgery to us. It was really nice to finally see what the actual damage is and how they have repaired his leg. I took pictures of the x-rays of his left leg, so I will post those as soon as I can. The surgery went as well as it could go. He will stay at Parkland for a day or two and then they will transfer him back to Zale Lipshy for inpatient rehab. He will be there for 1-2 weeks and then he will be released to go home and do outpatient physical therapy. Hopefully he can be home (Weatherford) by Christmas Eve. We will take it all one day at a time and see how God directs his path.

When I got here this morning, Brad had a new roommate. He seemed like a nice enough guy. The nurse came in and I could hear her telling him, that they had another room open, that he could move to. I didn't think too much of it. They came and wheeled him to another room, which really opens up a lot of space in Brad's room. The nurse came back after he was gone and told me, "I didn't want to say anything while he was still here, but the guy that was in here was having psych issues and thought that Brad was conspiring against him. He told the security guards that Brad threatened to kill him. We decided it was just best to move him" Crazy. There are 3 or so security guards that are sitting outside of rooms right next to Brad's for incarcerated patients. Like I said last night, this is not the Holiday Inn. But it is an interesting place to be.

Brad is sleeping now on a morphine pump.

My dad just arrived and said that they loaded the kids up on donut holes at church and then took them for pancakes and loaded them up on syrup and then gave them to my mom. Cruel. :o)

Thank you for the continued prayers.

Surgery

2010-12-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

Brad was taken to have surgery around 9pm. They think the whole process will take around 6 hours, so he should be back in his room around 3am. Please pray that his surgeon is alert, thinking clearly, and that God will guide him.

My mom and step-dad brought me to Parkland and they needed to be at home to get ready to take the kids tomorrow. I didn't really want to stay at Parkland, it's not a Holiday Inn for sure. My friend and college roommate, Sarah, lives in the area and she and her family graciously took me in for the night. THANK YOU, SARAH AND FAMILY! Sarah even halted a Christmas shopping trip while her husband was watching their 3 kids to come and pick me up. Now THAT is sacrifice! (Amen Moms!?!) They are going to take me back up to the hospital in the morning. It's so nice to be closer tonight and be able to get back over to Brad in the morning without a 1 1/2 drive.

I was coming up the stairs at Sarah's, with her carefully spotting me from behind, and right as I got to the top I lost my balance and fell forward. I landed straight on my cast. My ankle feels a bit tingly, but I'm not in pain, thankfully. Just pray that I didn't damage anything further. I think I just want to be walking normal again so bad, I almost try to do things the way I normally can...but I have to remember that I can't walk normal right now and I need to be cautious. I will definitely be using the "booty scoot" down the stairs tomorrow morning!!

Pray for the kids as they transition from one grandparent's care to another's tomorrow. They are doing well, but I know all of this change has to be hard on them.